Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 236 [The Direction of the Dao] (6200)

[Let me first post a leave note. I didn't update yesterday because I was sick. I did write a leave notice yesterday, but I was so sick that I didn't even click "post" after I finished writing it. I was so dazed that I didn't even notice.]

I apologize to everyone!

I promise I won't make the same mistake again, and I will definitely ask for permission in advance if I need to take a break from updating.

·
Chapter 230 [The Direction of the Dao] (6200)

Chen Yan stared blankly at the people in the courtyard, unable to understand why they were being so respectful to him.

However, he still subconsciously cupped his hands in greeting: "Um... everyone, greetings."

Next, the food was distributed. Someone took a plate and gave Chen Yan a portion. Chen Yan looked at the person's friendly face and couldn't refuse. He could only smile and say thank you before taking the food back to his room.

After he returned to his room, the people in the courtyard began to talk in hushed tones.

After entering the room, Chen Yan listened intently to the sounds outside the courtyard. After a while, he realized that these guys thought he was some kind of parachuted-in relative.

This kind of thing probably only happens among prospective disciples... After all, these people are not yet members of the sect. Although they are all cultivators who have entered the sect, in front of such a behemoth as a sect with the inheritance of saints, they are just the grass among grass, the small fry among small fry.

Only when one is selected to join a sect and become a formal outer disciple can one be considered to have reached the other side.

Before this, anyone without a powerful background would have kept a low profile.

After Chen Yan understood this, he felt relieved. However, he didn't bother to explain, as he was in an awkward position. Since the other party had this misunderstanding, it wouldn't do him any harm anyway.

After a quick meal, he simply lay down on the bed and pondered his next plan.

Chen Yan had already made up his mind. He would wait a few days until the Gu family arrived, then he would settle the matter and regain his freedom before continuing his journey to the City of No Return in the Southern Frontier.

If... something unexpected happens, such as the Gu family's cargo ship being intercepted, and they insist on getting involved, or if they are wrongly accused...

Then let's just part ways!
Chen Yan wasn't afraid, since he still had the ring and could escape back to the real world at any time.

The only worry is that if I become a suspect in a case in this realm and then escape, it will probably cause trouble when I come to the realm again.

Because the ring's movement is based on fixed coordinates!
If I were to use the ring to escape through time within the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect, then the coordinates I would use to cross over to the next realm would also appear within the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect if I wanted to return!
Thinking of this, Chen Yan turned over in bed.

Suddenly! A detail that he had always overlooked popped into his mind!

Ring, traverse, fixed coordinates!!
The first time I used the ring was when I was transported to the territory of the Beast Clan! Near the village where the wooden bowl was located!

That place is located on the other side of Badlands Mountain, far from the Snow Cliff Pass and the snowfield!

The fact that I was transported to that place for the first time means...

The coordinates of the last time the ring was used by its previous owner are right there!

This thumb ring was left behind by the old lady after she passed away!

Therefore, the previous user of the ring should have been the old lady—she had previously been to the territory of the ferocious beast tribe.

Then, he used the thumb ring in the territory of the ferocious beast tribe!
But this doesn't seem to make much sense.

What was that old lady's status? A revered saint!
A venerable saint takes a huge risk to go to a place where the vital energy is suppressed, causing cultivators to lose all their magical power and become ordinary mortals.

or……

The last person to use a thumb ring was not an old lady.
·
Chen Yan tossed and turned in bed, lost in thought. It wasn't until it was completely dark and lamps were lit in the courtyard that the noise from the courtyard grew louder. It turned out that the prospective disciples had all come out of their rooms and gathered in the courtyard sometime earlier.

Hearing the noise, Chen Yan simply sat up in bed, got out of bed, pushed open the door, and looked out into the yard.

The thirty-odd prospective disciples living in the courtyard gathered together, all dressed in pale yellow robes, solemn and solemn, and were lining up to leave.

Chen Yan walked out of the gate. Some of the disciples who were standing near him in the courtyard smiled at him in a friendly manner, while others tried to strike up a conversation.

"Fellow Daoist, we are on our way to evening practice, would you like to join us?"

Evening class?

Chen Yan's heart stirred.

These prospective disciples are selected and trained to become future outer disciples.

During the three-month selection and training period, the sect arranges some courses to teach disciples, and the disciples' aptitude and talent can be assessed during the learning and training process.

Chen Yan has always cultivated himself, relying entirely on self-study without any guidance. He simply follows the instructions in the secret manual left by the old lady.

He had never seen such a training model used by the regular army of major sects before, and for a moment he was a little curious - after all, it was the inheritance of a saint, a top-notch sect.

Yeah, it's just that the name is a bit too eerie.

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan immediately nodded: "Yes, we were just about to go together."

Anyway... Zhao Wuji said that he wasn't going to jail, but was just visiting, and he even gave him a reserve token, which meant he could go wherever the reserve disciples could go.

Going to audit a class shouldn't be a big deal.

·
Chen Yan immediately went back to his room, closed the door, changed into the light yellow disciple robe that was placed in the room, and went out again, where he joined the end of the line.

When others greeted him, he would politely return the greeting, showing that he was very courteous.

This move immediately made those who thought he was a "connected person" feel a bit more favorably toward him.

Having connections, a good background, and acting politely without being condescending—that's already quite good.

·
After leaving the courtyard with the group, they soon headed to a training hall.

This teaching style gave Chen Yan a somewhat familiar feeling—the meditation classes at Chu Keqing's Yunzong Academy seemed to have the same atmosphere.

We entered a side hall, which was quite large, with many prayer cushions on the floor.

When Chen Yan walked in with the group, no one checked his identity at the door, and he entered openly.

There were more than a hundred prayer cushions scattered around the lecture hall, and most of them were already seated when Chen Yan and the others entered.

After Chen Yan followed the people from his courtyard to sit down in the northwest corner of the lecture hall, the place was very quiet despite the large number of people there. No one was talking or making a fuss.

Chen Yan could see that everyone had a solemn expression, but their eyes held a hint of excitement and anticipation, as if they were also longing for something while waiting.

Finally, after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the lecture hall was full of people.

At this moment, a person dressed in an apricot-yellow disciple's robe slowly walked in and went straight to the front.

Chen Yan could tell from the man's attire that he was a formal outer disciple—his robes were the same style and color as Zhao Wuji's.

However, this person looked much older, with graying hair at his temples and a middle-aged appearance. His gaze carried a hint of twilight.

He stepped forward and said loudly, "Everyone, quiet down!"

The already quiet atmosphere quickly fell silent after his shout. Everyone sat upright on their prayer mats, solemnly watching the outer disciple.

The middle-aged man took a deep breath, his face stern: "You are all outer disciples. In three months, some of you will become outer disciples and my formal junior brothers."

But before that, I hope you will all diligently cultivate yourselves and demonstrate your talents and abilities! Be courageous and diligent, and strive for excellence!

He paused deliberately at this point.

After a moment of silence, someone finally took the lead, and then everyone answered loudly, "We will follow Senior Brother's teachings!"

The middle-aged man nodded in satisfaction: "Today is your first opportunity in the sect!"
My Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Sect has a treasure in its inner sect, which was left behind by our founding patriarch, the Venerable Saint!

This treasure is called the "Enlightenment Bell"! After attaining enlightenment, the sage created this treasure, leaving behind the sage's Daoist essence on the bell.

Each time the bell is rung, a subtle divine wisdom is hidden within its sound! Its uses are boundless!

Upon hearing this bell, cultivators can meditate and contemplate it. Even those lacking natural talent can purify their minds and eliminate distracting thoughts, greatly benefiting their spiritual development. Hearing the bell once can maintain this pure state of mind for ten days.

If one is exceptionally talented, one may have an epiphany on the spot, comprehending a trace of the sage's Dao from the sound of the bell, which would greatly benefit one's cultivation and increase one's comprehension in future cultivation!
Of course, the power of this bell's sound will only last once. A second time you hear it, it will no longer have the effect of enlightenment.

Therefore, the first time you hear the enlightenment bell is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You must cherish it!

At this point, a commotion suddenly erupted in the previously quiet lecture hall.

Even those who felt the utmost reverence couldn't help but show expressions of surprise and delight upon hearing these words, letting out soft gasps of joy.

The middle-aged man glanced at the people below and said indifferently, "However, magic treasures are left behind by sages, and the remaining Daoist essence is limited. Each time you strike it, a portion of the remaining Daoist essence of the sage within the magic treasure will be consumed!"
You must know how precious the wisdom of the sages is.

Therefore, even within my sect, the Enlightenment Bell is only rung once every few years, and each time it is rung, it is only on the inner sect's sacred mountain.

However, the sect leader was kind and once issued an order that each time the Enlightenment Bell was rung, the sound could be transmitted to the outer sect disciples at the foot of the mountain through a sound transmission array, so that they could all hear it.

If any disciples from the outer academy happen to be undergoing selection for cultivation, they can listen in as well. This is to demonstrate our sect's commitment to spreading the Dharma!

At this point, the middle-aged man sighed, glanced at everyone, and said with a faint smile, "So, you outer court disciples are lucky. This round of selection for cultivation just happened to coincide with the ringing of the Enlightenment Bell—the previous round of outer court selection for cultivation didn't have such good fortune. Your next round, even considering the timeline, won't have such an opportunity."

He paused, then said with a self-deprecating tone, "Even I, when I was young and participating in the sect's selection process for cultivation in the outer academy, didn't have the chance to ring the Enlightenment Bell in my batch. So, you guys are really lucky!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and their faces showed excitement and eagerness.

The middle-aged man took a deep breath and said slowly, "Half an incense stick later, it will be time to ring the bell! You can all sit down and meditate now, clear your minds of distractions, and prepare to listen to the bell!"

As he spoke, he gently pointed, and a stream of energy shot out from his fingertip, landing on the ceiling of the lecture hall, whereupon a ball of energy rippled outwards.

Chen Yan squinted and looked up, and saw that the walls of the entire lecture hall were covered with a semi-transparent array of runes, which was obviously activated by some kind of magic array—probably the sound transmission array that the middle-aged outer disciple had mentioned.

Some people watched with curiosity, while others reacted even faster, ignoring the excitement and instead quickly closing their eyes to meditate and clear their minds, preparing themselves for the event.

Although the middle-aged man remained silent, his eyes carefully observed the prospective disciples below. He secretly noted down those who, undisturbed by words or the magical formation, seized the opportunity to close their eyes and enter meditation. Regardless of their actual talent, this very reaction alone revealed a degree of mental agility and a steadfast, devout Daoist heart.

Chen Yan sat among the crowd, keeping a low profile. When the middle-aged man's gaze swept over him, he did not make any outrageous moves. Instead, he observed the actions of the people around him and only closed his eyes after they had entered a meditative state.

The time it takes for half an incense stick to burn will be up quickly.

Just as Chen Yan had entered a state of inner peace, suddenly...

"when!!"

The bell rang without warning!
Moreover, it seemed that under the effect of this sound transmission array, Chen Yan felt his eardrums bulging, as if the sound had directly smashed into his consciousness!

The sound of the bell immediately jolted him awake!
Before he could react, the second bell rang.

when! !

This time, the same bell tolled like a hammer, striking his heart heavily. Almost instantly, it shook his clear consciousness, making him vibrate and nearly lose his senses.

Then, Chen Yan's remaining consciousness suddenly sensed something was wrong.

He once again entered that delicate state—previously, on the flying boat, when he was worshipping and gazing at the immortal mountain from afar, he was shaken by the precious light, his consciousness lost control, and he entered a state of ethereal clarity, yet was also being controlled by some kind of force...

That strange rhythm seemed to take control of his consciousness instantly.

It's like a drunkard dancing gracefully, his consciousness drifting and flowing, his movements subtle and nuanced.

At the same time, the vital energy around him began to flow!

Chen Yan inwardly cried out in alarm, but he couldn't extricate himself from this strange state—the control, or rather the bewitching power of this bell's sound, was far stronger than the precious light he had seen from afar on the cargo ship!
Just as Chen Yan's vital energy was spiraling out of control and began to flow and circulate on its own according to some strange rhythm...

Suddenly, deep within Chen Yan's heart, that voice echoed once more...

"Humph!!"

A cold snort escaped his lips, seemingly carrying a strong sense of dissatisfaction!
In an instant, that slightly tipsy and uncontrollable state receded like the tide!
Chen Yan suddenly opened his eyes and found that his consciousness and body were back under his control!

That subtle state of sudden enlightenment vanished instantly.

The moment he opened his eyes, he immediately attracted the attention of the middle-aged outer disciple standing in front of him.

A scrutinizing gaze swept over, landing on Chen Yan's face. After a pause, the gaze clearly revealed a hint of regret and disdain before quickly moving on to the next person...

Sure enough, Chen Yan looked around and saw that almost all the disciples in the main hall were still meditating with their eyes closed.

Only he, and a handful of others, opened their eyes.

The bell was still ringing, one chime after another.

Finally, after ringing forty-nine times, the bell stopped.

The middle-aged man's gaze kept wandering among the crowd below.

Chen Yan noticed that after the bells stopped ringing, everyone in the hall had opened their eyes—in fact, nine out of ten people had already opened their eyes when the bells were halfway through.

When the bell rang more than thirty times, the last person who had closed his eyes in meditation seemed to suddenly wake up from a dream.

The entire audience listened intently to the next ten or so chimes.

The middle-aged man looked somewhat helpless, but more than that, he was disappointed.

"It seems that this batch I'm leading doesn't have any exceptionally talented individuals... Oh well, geniuses are rare, and you can't expect to find one every time."

The middle-aged man said coldly and without any politeness: "Just now, none of you were able to hold on until the bell stopped... Some of you opened your eyes after the first three bells - that shows you have very poor comprehension!"
Those of you who opened your eyes before the fifth bell ring, you know what you look like, and I remember what you look like too. I won't call your names, to save you some face—from today onwards, you can come to my class or not.

Save your energy and effort for other lessons. You won't pass the rigorous assessment of comprehension with me!

·
That evening, when Chen Yan left the side hall lecture hall and returned to the courtyard with the crowd, he saw that most people in the group had normal expressions, but only one person looked extremely dejected. Chen Yan recognized this person; he was one of the few people who had opened their eyes after listening to the enlightenment bell two or three times.

There just happened to be one of them, someone from the same courtyard.

The man was pale and his eyes were filled with despair, as if he had not yet recovered from the blow.

Chen Yan sighed.

It's not really too much to ask a middle-aged outer disciple to do that.

Comprehension, however, is something that cannot be developed through arduous practice. If one lacks comprehension, continuing to attend his lectures will not significantly improve one's chances.

However, when this person opened his eyes, he did not see Chen Yan.

Therefore, Chen Yan, this "useless coward who opened his eyes after the first three times," was not discovered by his fellow villagers.

Back in the courtyard, everyone dispersed and returned to their rooms, presumably to quickly meditate and circulate their vital energy.

Tonight's unseen test of comprehension has likely instilled a sense of urgency in everyone.

·
The second morning, Chen Yan got up, cast a cleansing spell on himself, and then went out to see the many disciples who were already prepared in the courtyard.

Chen Yan then went to the morning class with the group.

The morning class was much simpler; it involved meditating and circulating vital energy.

However, the "class division" has already begun here.

More than half of the disciples went to cultivate the circulation of vital energy, while the other half went to the training room to cultivate physical skills.

Hmm, this is probably what the realm version of the arts and sciences division is like?
Chen Yan thought to himself.

However, he was most interested in the afternoon classes.

It turned out to be a sermon.

In the so-called preaching, these prospective disciples of the outer court will not have the opportunity to be taught the sect's techniques.

The sermons only covered the cultivation philosophies of the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Sect, and the direction of their cultivation and understanding of the Heavenly Dao—explaining some theoretical and conceptual aspects.

This lecture is on a larger scale!
It turned out to be a large hall that could accommodate hundreds of people.

Above the hall, on a seven-foot-high platform, sat a monk dressed in a yellow robe with gold and black trim, on a futon covered with apricot-yellow silk.

To Chen Yan's slight surprise, the style and color of this person's apricot-yellow robe were exactly the same as those of his inner sect senior brother, Jiang Mo!

In other words, the person who taught this lesson was an inner disciple!
This man had a handsome appearance and a dignified demeanor, possessing the air of a classically handsome man.

The voice he spoke was also magnetic and pleasant to the ear.

"Today is the first and only time I will teach you. If it weren't for the outer sect elders pleading with me, I would never bother to come out of the inner sect on ordinary days."

I value freedom and don't like to follow rules when teaching.

Now I'm giving you a chance. You can ask me one question—but I'll only answer one. If the question is valuable and pleases me, I'll grant you an opportunity.

As he spoke, he swept his smiling gaze across the room: "Who wants to ask?"

After a brief silence, the entire room erupted in uproar once again.

But someone who reacted quickly stood up and asked, "Senior brother, what is the Heavenly Way?"

The man casually replied, "If you're cultivating, how can you not even understand the Dao of Heaven? You dare to ask such foolish questions!"

The person who asked the question immediately changed his expression.

Someone else asked, "Brother, when one begins cultivating the primordial spirit at the second realm, both cultivating primordial energy and cultivating the primordial spirit require time. How can one achieve both?"

"Those with good aptitude can naturally handle both; only a fool would think the two are unbalanced. Step down!" The man rebuked him without any politeness, and the person who asked the question also looked unpleasant as he slowly sat down.

"Excuse me, senior brother..."

"Excuse me, senior brother..."

"Excuse me, senior brother..."

People asked questions one after another, some asking about cultivation methods, some about how to improve aptitude, some about the primordial spirit, and others about how to resist inner demons when breaking through realms...

But this inner disciple answered casually, yet his words were sharp and sarcastic, hurling insults like "idiot," "fool," and "rotten wood," leaving the disciples looking utterly humiliated.

Gradually, no one dared to speak anymore.

The inner disciple's expression gradually grew impatient, and he said indifferently, "Is this batch full of idiots? They can't even come up with anything of value when asking questions. Their minds must be incredibly dull..."

Finally, a voice slowly rang out: "I have a question for you, senior brother..."

Chen Yan slowly stood up from the back row and said loudly, "The sect is among the leaders of the righteous path in the realm, so why does it have a name like the [Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Harmony Sect]?"

Upon hearing this question, the inner disciple's eyes lit up.

He stared at Chen Yan for a couple of seconds, then laughed and said, "Not bad, finally someone who's not so stupid, and whose questions are at least somewhat relevant."

As he spoke, he gave Chen Yan a deep look and said, "Sit down. I'll remember you."

Then, he took a deep breath: "My sect is named [Heavenly Demon, Yin Yang, and Joyful Union]. These three words were personally chosen by the founding ancestor, the sage!"

These six words encapsulate the path my sect's cultivation leads to!

(End of this chapter)